John Craddock, 98

Retired Dun & Bradstreet exec

September 19, 2002|By Patricia Trebe. Special to the Tribune.

John Craddock, 98, of Glen Ellyn, a former vice president of marketing for Dun & Bradstreet and the first business administrator for the First Presbyterian Church in Glen Ellyn, died Monday, Sept. 16, in Bloomingdale Pavilion of natural causes.

Mr. Craddock was born in Ayr, Scotland, and finished his education at age 15. When he was 17, his family traveled to the United States, coming down the St. Lawrence Waterway and settling in Duluth, Minn.

While on a job in 1923, a load of coffee shifted in an elevator breaking several ribs and bones. "He ended up in a body cast, and my mother was his nurse," said his daughter, Marjorie.

In 1927 he married Bernice Campbell, and they moved to Chicago the next year.

Mr. Craddock became a U.S. citizen in 1941 and moved to Glen Ellyn, where the couple raised their three children.

After holding several positions, he went to work for Bradstreet as a credit reporter traveling throughout the state calling on businesses.

Mr. Craddock continued to work for the firm after it merged, becoming Dun & Bradstreet. He worked his way through the company as a salesman and manager, eventually becoming vice president of marketing. He retired in 1969 after 45 years with the company.

He then took his wife by ship to Scotland where they stayed in an apartment in his hometown. For six months they traveled the countryside.

Upon his return, Mr. Craddock developed Guillain-Barre syndrome, which resulted in total paralysis. After a year of hospital stays, he relearned to walk, his daughter said.

"He never really regained full movement of his legs and feet," she said.

He had to wear braces on his legs, but that did not deter him from walking 2 miles a day, she said.

Mr. Craddock and his late wife were members of the First Presbyterian Church where he was an elder, deacon, Sunday school teacher and superintendent. Upon Mr. Craddock's retirement, the pastor asked him to be the church's first business administrator.

"It was a part-time position supposedly but he put in full-time work," his daughter said.

He continued to work there for 12 years. "My parents' whole social life revolved around that church," his daughter said.

In 1995, Mr. Craddock wrote and published a history of his church to coincide with the congregation's 70th anniversary.

After the death of his wife 10 years ago, he wrote a book for his children and grandchildren titled "A Tale of Two Lives" that contained the life story of his wife and himself plus their life together.

In addition to his daughter, he is survived by two sons, Campbell and Bruce; a sister Margaret Stewart; eight grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

A service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday in First Presbyterian Church, Main and Anthony Streets, Glen Ellyn.